Strict security measures put in place for ‘chehlum’

Rawalpindi: The ‘chehlum’ of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and martyrs of Karbala will be commemorated amid tight security today (Tuesday).More than 5,000 policemen have been deployed while 10 companies of Pakistan Army and four companies of Rangers would also be deployed to maintain peaceful atmosphere on the occasion.The local management has cordoned off all traditional routes of processions here at Raja Bazaar, Trunk Bazaar, Barra Bazaar, Committee Chowk, Dalgaran Bazaar, Narnkari Bazaar and Jamia Masjid Road. The law enforcement agencies have also blocked all roads with big containers.The local administration has devised a plan of action to maintain law and order on ‘chehlum’ while control rooms have been set up at the offices of the commissioner, DCO, CPO and DIG (Operations) to monitor the security situation.Under the security arrangements, no one would be allowed to stand on rooftops of commercial and residential buildings situated along the procession routes. Special checking of the routes would be carried out before start of the procession, whereas the mourners would be checked with metal detectors and walk-through gates installed at the entry points. Aerial surveillance of the procession would also be carried out.The law enforcement agencies have installed CCTV cameras outside central Imambargah Colonel (r) Maqbool, Imambargah Ashiq Hussain and Imambargah Qadeemi.The Chief Officer (CO) Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi Syed Shafqat Raza told ‘The News’ that they have finalised all arrangements to observe ‘chehlum’ peacefully. “We have provided all necessary facilities like lighting facility, electric generators facility, drinking water facility etc,” he said.The mourning processions of ‘chehlum’ will appear from different areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Over 100 ‘sabeels’ of milk and ‘sharabt’ will also be set up along the traditional routes.According to the security plan prepared on the instructions of CPO Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, apart from district police, personnel from Elite Force, Special Branch, Women Police, Muhaffiz Force, Razakar and Aman Committee will also perform their duties.Before procession and ‘majalis’, searching and sweeping will be conducted by the personnel of special branch. Houses and markets on the routes of the procession will be asked for a certificate that they are not providing shelter to any stranger or extremist person in their houses or market. Walkthrough gate will be used for entering the procession and later physical search will be conducted through metal detectors on different locations.Sabeel and langar will be checked specially. Parking of any type won’t be allowed on procession route, roof top duty will be performed on procession’s route. A control room has been created especially for the security of main procession. Suspicious people will be strictly monitored.Mourning processions for ‘chehlum’ of Karbala martyrs would travel from seven key routes of the city on Tuesday.The processions would take their customary routes and end at Imambargah Qadeemi at around 10pm in the night. In order to ensure fool proof security for the processions, the authorities on Sunday installed 500 close circuit cameras on different points of the routes.The first procession would emerge from Imambargah Ashiq Hussain Teli Mohalla at 11am in the morning. The Zuhrain prayers would be held at Fowwara Chowk while Magrhibain would be held at Jamia Masjid Road.

from The News International - Islamabad https://ift.tt/2PvNgmx